CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 · model year

1999 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500

95 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1999CHEVROLETSILVERADO 2500 carries 95 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 3 fires, 5 injuries, and 1 fatality. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1999 SILVERADO 2500 is service brakes, hydraulic with 18 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (16) and service brakes (8). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 1999 SILVERADO 2500, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page, a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

95
Complaints
3
Crashes
3
Fires
5
Injuries
1
Deaths

Total Complaints

95 filings

Crashes Reported

3 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC18
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP16
SERVICE BRAKES8
TIRES:TREAD/BELT6
TIRES3
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM2
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE2
ENGINE2
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM2
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL1

Recent Complaints

20190304SERVICE BRAKES

THE PARKING BRAKE HAS NEVER WORKED PROPERLY SINCE NEW. YOUR PARTIAL RECALL FIX FOR STANDARD TRANSMISSIONS ONLY IS INADEQUATE. MAKE ME WONDER ABOUT UNDUE GM INFLUENCE. JUST BECAUSE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION TRUCKS HAVE PARK. THAT IS NOT AN EXCUSE FOR GM NOT TO FIX THE PARKING BRAKE.

20180403SERVICE BRAKES

ABS ENGAGING LESS THAN 10 MILES PER HOUR. NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL OF 805,000, AS NOT IN A RUST BELT STATE.

20170410FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED INSIDE THE GARAGE ALL WINTER. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO MOVE IT OUT AND NOTICED FUEL ON THE GROUND. THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT THE FUEL LINE WAS SEVERELY RUSTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

Mileage: 80,000

20160522ENGINE

BROKEN OR MISSING EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS CAUSING EXHAUST LEAKS. POTENTIAL FOR CARBON MONOXIDE LEAKS INTO THE DRIVING COMPARTMENT. UPON RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON AND EXPENSIVE PROBLEM. WITH GM ENGINES FROM 1999 TO AROUND 2007. JUST FOUND THIS PROBLEM ON MY 1999 SILVERADO ON 5/20/16. I HAVE OWNED THIS TRUCK SINCE DAY ONE AND HAVE AN EXCELLENT SERVICE RECORD AT A WELL KNOW DEALERSHIP. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WHEN THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED.

Mileage: 120,000

20151213SERVICE BRAKES

RUSTED BRAKE LINES ! DRIVING DOWN THE STREET, HIT BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN TO TURN INTO A DRIVE, BRAKE PEDDLE WENT TO THE FLOOR, NO BRAKES AT ALL, I FOUND THE BRAKE LINE GOING TO THE REAR HAD BROKEN BY THE GAS TANK, BRAKE LINES ARE VERY CORRODED AND RUSTY, TRUCK IS KEEP INDOORS, AND CAME FROM NEW MEXICO, NO RUST ON THE BODY AT ALL, TOW BILL WAS 200 BUCKS,AROUND 50 MILES FROM HOME. STAINLESS STEEL BREAK LINES ARE AROUND 200 TO 300 BUCKS, AROUND 200 TO 300 FOR LABOR, VERY EXPENSIVE SO FAR, AND THE TRUCK IS NOT FIXED YET. THE TRUCK ONLY HAS 90,000 MILES ON IT. WHEN THE REAR LINE BROKE, I SHOULD HAVE, STILL HAD FRONT BREAKS, IN A TWO PART BRAKE SYSTEM, BUT I HAD NO BRAKES AT ALL. I'M LUCKY, IT CAUSED, NO ACCIDENTS, OR INJURIES, OR ANY OTHER DAMAGE. IT COULD HAVE BEEN VERY WORSE, EVEN DEADLY UNDER DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES. YOU THINK THEY WOULD HAVE PUT STAINLESS STEEL ON THE BRAKE LINES LIKE THEY DID ON THE EXHAUST. I MEAN, A RUSTY EXHAUST, PROBABLY WONT KILL ANYBODY, BUT RUSTY BRAKE LIN

Mileage: 90,000

20150915SERVICE BRAKES

I STARTED TO BACKUP OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, WHEN I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL THEY WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. PULLED BACK INTO DRIVEWAY AND SAW WHERE BRAKE FLUID WOULD SHOOT OUT WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS PUSHED UNDER THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. FURTHER INVESTIGATION SHOWED THE BRAKE LINE HAD CORROSION IN FOR ABOUT 4 INCHES. REPLACED THE BRAKE LINE. YESTERDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2015 AGAIN WENT TO BACK UP AND PEDAL TO FLOOR. UPON EXAMINATION THE BRAKE FLUID SHOOTS OUT IN A STEADY STREAM WHEN PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.

Mileage: 123,500

20150814SERVICE BRAKES

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE HYDROBOOST MALFUNCTIONED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 193,348.

Mileage: 193,348

20150814ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE HYDROBOOST MALFUNCTIONED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 193,348.

Mileage: 193,348

20150814FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE HYDROBOOST MALFUNCTIONED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 193,348.

Mileage: 193,348

20140731FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

THE FUEL GAUGE MALFUNCTIONS AFTER FILLING TANK - IT READS EMPTY IMMEDIATELY AND INTERMITTENTLY THEREAFTER AT ANY FUEL LEVEL. IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR TRAVELING ANY LONG DISTANCE AS YOU ARE NOT QUITE SURE HOW MUCH FUEL IS AVAILABLE OR IF IT WILL SHUT DOWN ON ME DURING A DIFFICULT SITUATION. WE HAVE CONTACTED GM AND THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME TO CHECK IT AND THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED AS A PROBLEM FOR MULTIPLE MODELS TO GM. *TR

Mileage: 98,000

20140728SERVICE BRAKES

BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, VEHICLE DID NOT WANT TO STOP, FOUND ALL BRAKE LINES TO BE SEVERELY CORRODED FROM THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER TO THE BRAKING HARDWARE AT EACH WHEEL, DOT3 BRAKE FLUILD LEAKING QUICKLY FROM BRAKE LINE RUNNING TOWARD THE REAR OF THE TRUCK. REF: HTTP://WWW-ODI.NHTSA.DOT.GOV/CARS/PROBLEMS/DEFECT/RESULTS.CFM?ACTION_NUMBER=EA11001&SEARCHTYPE=QUICKSEARCH&SUMMARY=TRUE *JS

Mileage: 100,000

20140309ENGINE

THIS TRUCK HAS HAD AN EXHAUST TIC FOR MANY YEARS. I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS A LIFTER NOISE WHEN IN ALL REALITY WHILE CHANGING SPARK PLUG AND WIRES ABOUT 2 MONTHS BACK I FOUND THE BROKEN EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH ON THE WEB I FOUND THIS IS AN ISSUE ON 80% OF THESE GM TRUCKS. I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING WHILE OPERATING THESE VEHICLES AND THE EMISSION PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE. *TR

Mileage: 85,000

20140127SERVICE BRAKES

NOTICED BRAKE PEDAL DROPPING TO FLOOR THOUGHT MASTER CYLINDER WAS BAD AFTER MECHANIC CHECKED VEHICLE HAD TO REPLACE ALL BRAKE LINES AT THE COST OF $ 500.00. *TR

Mileage: 151,000

20131226FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

VEHICLE HAD BEEN RUNNING POORLY FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS MAYBE MORE. FUEL PUMP ALSO WAS SOUNDING FUNNY. INSTEAD OF THE NORMAL QUICK WHIRRING FOR A FEW SECONDS THE PUMP SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS LABORING AND HAD A SLOWER, DEEPER PITCH. I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS TIME FOR TUNE UP BUT MY RECORDS SHOWED OTHERWISE. ( I KEEP PRETTY EXTENSIVE VEHICLE NOTES ON ALL WORK/MAINTENANCE PERFORMED.) ON THE MORNING THE ACTUAL PROBLEM FINALLY WAS DISCOVERED I HAD STARTED MY TRUCK AFTER A LITTLE MORE CRANKING EFFORT THAN USUAL. ENGINE RAN FOR ABOUT 20 SECONDS OR SO AND THAN SHUT DOWN. TRIED TO RESTART BUT THE FUEL PUMP DIDN'T POWER UP AND THEN THE SMELL OF FRESH GASOLINE WAS EVERYWHERE. AFTER GETTING OUT OF THE TRUCK I TOOK A LOOK ON THE GROUND AND YES THERE WAS GAS ON THE GROUND AND STILL DRIPPING FROM UP UNDER THE TRUCK. TOOK OUT MY FLASHLIGHT AND CAREFULLY PEEKED UNDERNEATH AND RIGHT AWAY SAW THE MAIN FUEL LEAK. FUEL LINES ON BOTH THE SUPPLY AND RETURN SIDES ARE RUSTED PRETTY BADLY IN MULTIPLE AREAS. GAS WAS LEAKING

Mileage: 298,905

20131225SERVICE BRAKES

COMPLETE REAR BRAKE FAILURE IN PARKING LOT JUST AS I WAS LEAVING WORK. HAD TO QUICKLY PUMP BRAKES TO KEEP TRUCK FROM MOVING. BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR IN AN INSTANT. I PUT TRUCK IN PARK GOT OUT AND THERE WAS FLUID ALL OVER THE PLACE ON THE GROUND,AND ON THE DRIVERS SIDE UNDER CARRIAGE JUST BEHIND THE CAB DOOR. LOOKED UNDERNEATH WITH FLASHLIGHT AND COULD SEE THAT THE BRAKE LINE HAD SEVERE RUSTING WHERE EACH PLASTIC HOLD DOWN IS LOCATED AND ONE HAD RUSTED TO POINT OF FAILURE. GLAD I HADN'T PULLED OUT AND ONTO THE HIGHWAY AT THAT POINT. HAD TO HAVE MOST OF THE LINE REPLACED ALONG THE FRAME RAIL,( ABOUT 15'). *TR

Mileage: 248,000

20130925FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

SEVERAL OF MY EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLT HEADS BROKE OFF EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN REMOVED CAUSING HOT EXHAUST TO LEAK OUT IGNITING SOME ELECTRICAL WIRING. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH GM V8'S. *JS

Mileage: 190,000

20130925FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

SEVERAL OF MY EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLT HEADS BROKE OFF EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN REMOVED CAUSING HOT EXHAUST TO LEAK OUT IGNITING SOME ELECTRICAL WIRING. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH GM V8'S. *JS

Mileage: 190,000

20120211SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

TRUCK BRAKE PEDAL APPLIED AND BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR, LINES HIDDEN BY GAS TANK RUPTURED, THIS TRUCK WAS SHOWROOM CONDITION AND SPENT MOST OF IT'S TIME CLEAN AND IN THE GARAGE, NO RUST APPARENT ANYWHERE ELSE. *TR

Mileage: 72,564

20110601SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

JUST DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND THE BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING AS WELL AS NORMAL WHEN APPLYING THEM. LIGHT CAME ON IN THE DASHBOARD INDICATING BRAKE PROBLEM. WHEN I ARRIVED AT HOME CHECKED FLUID AND WAS OUT OF BRAKE FLUID. STARTED LOOKING FOR THE PROBLEM AND FOUND A BROKEN BRAKE LINE BADLY CORRODED. LOOKING AT THE REST OF THE LINES THEY ARE ALL IN A BAD WAY. I'M A PLUMBER AND HAVE WORKED WITH STAINLESS STEEL TUBING MY EXHAUST IS ORIGINAL NEVER HAD A PROBLEM OR LEAK. IT SEEMS STRANGE TO INSTALL SUCH A GREAT EXHAUST SYSTEM AND NOT THE SAME ON A LITTLE MORE IMPORTANT SYSTEM. *TR

Mileage: 174,500

20110526SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN HE DEPRESSED THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR ABNORMALLY. HE THEN INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND BRAKE FLUID LEAKING ONTO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHICH INDICATED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

Mileage: 80,000

Compare 1999CHEVROLETSILVERADO 2500 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1999 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 have?
The 1999 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 has 95 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 3 fires, 5 injuries, and 1 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1999 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500?
The most-complained component for the 1999 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC with 18 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP and SERVICE BRAKES.
Is the 1999 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.